Companies working in the harsh marine environment – offshore oil companies, port and harbor authorities as well as owners and operators of other maritime installations – are well aware of the need to control marine growth control on offshore installations.

Marine Growth Control is VITAL on new structures for the following reasons:

Since 1990, IEV has developed and implemented a unique patented technology which utilizes natural ocean forces to remove and permanently prevent settlement of marine organisms on submerged structures. This technology eliminates the need for periodic cleaning and substantially reduces cleaning costs.

IEV’s MARINE GROWTH CONTROL PHILOSOPHY
– A GREEN TECHNOLOGY

The marine growth control by IEV focuses on breaking down the marine colonization process. This is achieved by preventing the formation of microbial slime or microfouling which is the prerequisite for macrofouling growth on offshore structures.

By preventing microfouling, later groups of hard-fouling organisms; such as, barnacles, oysters and tubeworms, together with soft-fouling organisms; such as, anemones, hydroids and sponges, are denied an environment of nutrients to breed.

Central to IEV's innovative marine growth technology is the continuous rolling action of specially designed apparatus driven by ocean waves over cleaned surfaces to prevent microfouling from settling on submerged structures.

IEV’s unique product – the Marine Growth Preventer (“MGP”) – is powered solely by natural forces; such as, ocean waves, swells, tides and currents. Thus, the endless and free energy of nature and technology work effectively together to maintain protected structures free of all marine fouling.

The MGP is made of engineering rubber and plactics with the following characteristics:

Extremely high durability and elasticity

Resistance to chemical, sea water and UV attack

Excellent fatigue life

Rubber rollers have no detrimental effect on protective coatings

Non-corrosive and non-conducive

The manufacturing process in producing the MGP conforms to ISO 9001:2008 requirements.

A range of single-ring and multiple-rings are designed to suit specific environmental conditions, orientation and location of each member to be protected and in the presence of any structural interference.

APPLICATION OF THE MARINE GROWTH PREVENTERS ON EXISTING STRUCTURES

Until now, over 17,000 of IEV’s MGP have been applied on existing developements worldwide.

Operators of existing platforms have employed the technology to eliminate the costly and hazardous need for periodic cleaning by divers and ensure that growth thickness is kept within platform design criteria. In many applications, the 'zero-growth' profile maintained by the MGP represents a strengthening mechanism, allowing offshore platforms to carry additional loads and extends their valuable fatigue life.

Hard and soft marine organisms on fixed structures can be removed and subsequently prevented from re-growth via a 'two-phase' cleaning and prevention process. Products can be retrofitted efficiently by riggers/rope access technicians or by divers/ROV from underwater.